Muskegon Township man accused of assault on pregnant woman could face more charges

MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP - Additional charges could be filed against a Muskegon Township man who allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old pregnant woman when she served him with a personal protection order for the man’s mother.

The woman - who was five months pregnant at the time she was allegedly assaulted by 19-year-old James Michael Cowles - has since delivered a stillborn baby, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brett Gardner.

“The medical examiner is examining the baby to determine the cause of the still birth,” Gardner said. “We will await the results of the examination” before determining whether to charge Cowles in connection with the stillborn baby.

Cowles was arraigned this week in Muskegon County 60th District Court on one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, a 10-year felony. A preliminary examination is slated for Oct. 22.

Police say the assault occurred just after 7 p.m. Oct. 8 when Cowles was served the court document by the woman.

When the victim handed him the paperwork, Cowles “tore it up in pieces,” pushed her against a wall inside his mother’s mobile home at 27 Elm Court, “held her there by her neck” and ripped off her necklace before the victim managed to “pepper spray” Cowles, according to a Muskegon Township Police report.

At that time, Cowles picked up a 1-1 1/2 quart pan that was full of oatmeal that had hardened from the night before and threw it at the woman when they were standing about 4 feet apart, according to the police report.

“It hit her on the right side of her midsection,” the police report said. “James ran to his room, came out with his backpack and then went out the door... (The woman) started walking toward the door, but then laid down on the floor in pain.”

The woman was taken to a local hospital that night where a medical official determined that the woman’s unborn child had died, according to the police report.

Cowles’ mother was inside the mobile home when the assault occurred and told police that Cowles knew the woman was pregnant, police said.

Cowles wasn’t supposed to be living at his 46-year-old mother’s residence due to a stipulation in the personal protection order she obtained through Muskegon County 14th Circuit Court, police said.

When the woman served Cowles the paperwork, she told him he had to leave the home, the police report said. That’s when Cowles became irate and assaulted the woman, police said.

The mother had apparently asked several people to serve Cowles the protection order, but they all declined.

“Everyone knows how angry her son gets and nobody wanted to serve him,” the police report said.

So the mother asked the pregnant woman, who lives next door, to do it, “which she agreed to do,” the report said.

Police said they have been called to the Elm Court address in the past for domestic-related issues. Cowles was evicted from the residence in 2009, police said.